Combined speed-regulating air-cushion and emergency jarring device.



2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

' Patented Sept. 12, 1911.

R. M. & J. L. DOWNIE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 9, 1910.

COMBINED SPEED REGULATING AIR CUSHION AND EMERGENCY JARRING DEVICE.

Witnesses R. M. & J. L. DOWNIE. COMBINED SPEED REGULATING AIR CUSHIONAND EMERGENCY JARRING DEVIGEJ APPLICATION FILED MAYQ, 1910.

1,002,971, Y Patented Sept. 12,1911.

2 SHEETSESHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT M. DOWNIE, OF BEAVER FALLS, AND JAMES L. DOWNIE, OF DOWNIEVILLE,PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS TO THE KEYSTONE DRILLER ('10., 0F BEAVER FALLS,PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 12, 1911.

Application filed Bay 9, 1910. Serial No. 560,319.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ROBERT M. DOWNIE and JAMES L. DOWNIE, citizens ofthe United States, residing, respectively, at Beaver Falls andDownieville, in the counties of Beaver and Butler and State of Pennsyl-Vania, have invented a new and useful Combined Speed-RegulatingAir-Cushion and Emergency J arring Device, of which the following is aspecification.

The invention relates to a combined speed regulating air cushion andemergency jarring device.

The object of the present invention is to provide a simple, inexpensiveand efiicient device, designed for use on all classes of well drillingmachines in which some form of walking beam is employed for impartingmotion to the drilling tool, and capable of producing a resistanceduring the period when the drilling tools are dropping by gravity toprevent acceleration in the rotation of the crank element, whichoperates the walking beam to permit the drilling tools to expend theirenergy at the bottom of the bore hole before the walking beam commencesits up-stroke, whereby the engine'is subjected to a uniform strain andthe durability of the machine is greatly increased.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter, adapted to store-up energy on the down-stroke of the tools toassist the up-stroke of the walking beam, whereby the speed andefliciency of the drilling machine is increased.

Furthermore, it is the object of the invention to provide a cushioningdevice, capable of alsooperating as an emergency jarring device, andadapted should the drilling tools become wedged fast at the beginning ofthe up-stroke to enable the direct force of the steam from the boiler ofthe machine to produce a succession of blows on the walking beam,whereby the drilling tools may be jarred loose.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in theconstruction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described,illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claimshereto appended; it belng understood that various changes in theform,proportion, size and minor details of construction, within the'scope of the claims, may be resorted to Without departin from the spiritor sacrificing any of the a vantages of the invention.

In the drawings :-Figure '1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of adrilling machine provided with a combined speed regulating aircushionand emergency jarring device, constructed in accordance with thisinvention. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view, taken substantially onthe line 22 of Fig.1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of thecylinder.

Like numerals of reference designate cor-- responding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

In the embodiment of theinvention illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, the

the drilling tools (not shown). The Walking beams are also connected atan intermediate point by a cross bar 3, to which the upper end of apiston rod 4 is connected by a suitable hinge joint 5. The piston rod,which is hollow, is centrally connected with the intermediate cross bar3, but the combined speed regulating air cushion and emergency jarringdevice is applicable to drilling machines, equipped with a singlewalking beam, and also to drilling machines in which the walking beam ispivoted at an intermediate point and the power applied at one side ofthe pivot, and the tools connected with the walking beam at the oppositeside of the pivot. The walking beams 1 are connected by pit-men 6 and 7with crank elements 8 and 9, which are rotated by suitable gearing,operatively connected with an engine, located at the rear portion of thedrilling machine. As the particular construction of the engine and thegearing for rotating the crank elements do not constitute any portion ofthe present invention, and as any form of gearing or motor may beemployed for actuating the walking beam or beams, a detail descriptionof such mechanism is deemed unnecessary.

The hollow piston extends through the upper end or head 10 of an uprightcylinder 11, provided at opposite sides withtrunnions 12, which aremounted in suit-able bearings 13 upon the floor of the drilling machine.The trunnions 12 are located at a point intermediate the ends of thecylinder, which extends through an opening 14 in the floor of thedrilling machine. The pivotal mounting of the cylinder and the hingejoint between the piston rod and the intermediate the'cylinder is closedby a removable head 19, adapted to afford access to the piston.

The cylinder is equipped at its lower end with an inlet valve 20adapted-to admit a tree inlet of air on the up-stroke of the piston, andclosable automatically to prevent the escape of air on the down-stroke.Any suit able form of check valve may be employed for admitting air onthe up-stroke and prevent its escape on the down-stroke. On the upstrokeof the walking beams, the drilling tools are raised two or three feet bythe crank elements and the pitmen, and on the down-stroke of the Walkingbeams, the latter descend without any load in advance of the drillingtools, allowing the latter to strike with their full weight on thebottom of the well being drilled. Thus it will be seen that the powernecessary to operate the drilling tools must all be applied on theup-st-roke,

.and the driving power, the engine in the present case, being constant,the power of the engine and the weight of the walking beams all combineto accelerate the speed of the crank elements and to cause the walkingbeams'to descend more rapidly than the drilling tools. Unless somecushioning or retarding device be employed, the walking beams will havebegun their up-stroke before the drilling tools have had sufficient timeto expend their force upon the bottom of the bore hole, the result beingthat the efficiency of the drilling machine is much lessened, theoperating machinery jarred and the drill cable frequently is broken.Also the intermittent or spasmodic action causes uneven wear andbreakage of the geared crank wheel, constituting the crank element 8.These objections and dangers are obviated by the combinedspeedregulating air cushion and emergency jarring device, and on theup-stroke, the piston and the piston rod, which are air tight, draw airinto the cylin- .cient time in which to descend and expend their forceon the piston of the bore hole. At this point the oompremed air in thecylinder operating on the piston assists the driving power in liftingthe walking beam and the drilling tools for the next stroke. Thus itwill be seen that on the down-stroke the power of the engine, during itsotherwise idle stroke, is employed in storing up power,

which is utilized on the up-stroke. This causes the machine as a wholeto run lightly without jar and'without injury to itself, and also in theaggregate results in a great saving of power and greatly increases thespeed and etficiency of the machine. The efiiciency of eacl1 blow of thedrilling tools 15 not only increased, but the number of strokes perminute is also increased.

The compression of air in the cylinder will cause it to heat more orless. To carry off this heat radiating rings or ridges 2.1 are cast uponthe lower portion of the cylinder. The piston rod is made hollow and isopen at the lower end in order that the air will tend to rise in thelong hollow stem, which operates in the nature of a cooler. Also thehollow piston rod acts as a compression chamber and obviates thenecessity of lengthening the cylinder, which would be otherwisenecessary in order to provide a cylinder of the required capacity. Thepiston is adjustably attached to the lower portion of the piston rod forthe purpose of adjusting or regulating the pressure in the cylinder asthe depth of the drilling increases. lVhen the hollow piston rod islengthened by adjusting the piston toward the lower end of the same, thepressure against the piston will be increased, the adjustment beingvaried accordingly as more or less resistance is required to regulatethe relative velocity of the up and down strokes of the walking beam.

It frequently happens that the drilling tools become wedged fast at thebeginning of the up-stroke requiring more force to start them than canbe exerted by means of the cranks and gearing. In order to enableincreased force to be exerted on the walking beam,the lower portion ofthe cylinder is provided with a nipple 22 and is connected by a flexiblepipe section 23 with a steam pipe 94 lead ing to T16 boiler 25 of theengine. The flexible pipe section 23 is of a suitable length to permitthe oscillatory movement of the cylinder resulting from the connectionof the piston rod with the walking beams. The

steam pipe 24 is equipped with a three-way valve 26, having an arm 27and operated by source of danger for breakage, etc.

a rod 28. The rod 28, which extends rearwardly from the front of themachine, is connected at its inner or rear end with the arm 27 and ismounted in a guide 29. The front end of the rod is provided with asuitable operating handle 30, located at the front ofthe drillingmachine within easy reach of the operator.

The three-way valve has a lateral outlet 31, and it is of the ordinaryconstruction and is adapted to cut off the steam and also close thatportion of the pipe leading to the cylinder. It is also operable toclose the lateral outlet and open the steam pipe 24 to permit steamdirect from the boiler to pass into the cylinder for directly actuatingthe piston. This valve-controlled pipe connection between the cylinderand the boiler enables a greatly added force to be brought into actionon the up-stroke of the walking beam at such times as the drilling toolsmay become lodged or fastened in thewell. This is accomplished by,simply opening the three-way valve admitting steam pressure under thepiston. The sudden inlet-of steam has the efl ect of a very forcibleupward blow, which generally starts the drilling tools, but if thedrilling tools are not thus loosened at the first effort, the three-wayvalve is turned so that the steam contained in the cylinder is allowedto exhaust through the lateral opening 30. The piston then falls to thebottom of the cylinder, when the steam is again turned on and the blowsmay be repeated until the drilling tools are jarred loose. Heretofore inwell drilling a heavy set of loose links or jars have. been employed forthe purpose of knocking the drilling tools loose. These links or jarswhen used with the drilling tools are recognized as a sort of necessaryevil or emergency device, adding no direct efficiency to the drillingtools, but on the contrary creating friction in the bore hole andforminBg a or these reasons operators often run the risk of leaving offthe drill jars, resulting sometimes in getting the drilling toolsfastened.-

The present device is, therefore, an eflicient emergency appliancelocated safely above the ground out of the way and yet also instantly atthe command of the operator. It may be used for either of these purposeswithout any change as the exigencies of U the operation require.

If the drilling operations are carried on to such a depth that theoperating cranks and gearing are no longer able to raise the drillingtools promptly, the steam valve end may be left open thus admittingpressure of the boiler. against the piston. On the down-stroke of thewalking beam, while the engine would otherwise be idle, the latter willoperate to force the steam contained in the cylinder back into theboiler, but at the instant when the cranks pass their lower centers, thedirect pressure of the boiler upon the piston comes to the assistance ofthe engine, and in that way a machine and its gearing will easilyoperate a set of drilling.tools at least twice as heavy as wouldotherwise be possible with the same machine without the combined speedregulating air cushion and emergency jarring device. While we have shownthe cylinder connected with the boiler of the engine, it will beclearthat it may be connected with any other source of fluid pressure,such as compressed air.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a walkingbeam, and actuating means for oscillating the same, of a cylindermounted on the frame of the machine, a piston operating in the cylinder,and a piston rod connected with the piston and with the walking beamindependently of the actuating means, said piston being hollow andcarrying means for closing its outer end and being open at its inner endto form a compression chamber.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a walkingbeam, and actuating means for oscillating the same, of a cylindermounted on the frame of the machine, a piston operating in the cylinder,and a piston rod adjustably connected with the piston for varying thepressure produced by the same, said piston rod being also connected withthe walking beam independently of the actuating means.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a walkingbeam, and actuating means for oscillating the same, of a cylindermounted on the frame of the machine, a piston operating in the cylinder,and a hollow piston rod connected with the walking beam independently ofthe actuating means and having an adjustable connection with the pistonand open at its lower end to form a. compression chamber.

4. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a walkingbeam, and actuating means for oscillating the same, of a cylindermounted on the frame of the machine, a piston operating in the cylinderand having a threaded opening, a piston rod connected with the walkingbeam independently of the-actuating means and provided with a threadedportion arranged in the threaded opening of the piston, whereby it isadjustably connected with the same for varying the pressure produced bythe said piston.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a walkingbeam, and

' whereby it is adjustably connected with the .10

rod connected with the walking beam independently of theactuating meansand provided with a threaded portion arranged in the threaded opening ofthe piston,

same for varying the pressure produced by the said piston, and means forsecuring the piston in its adjustment.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a walkingbeam, and actuating means for oscillating the same, of a cylindermounted on the frame of the machine, a piston operating inthe cylindercylinder mounted on the frame of the machine, a piston operating in thecylinder and having arod connected with the walking beam independentlyof the actuating means, and a' fluid pressure pipe connected with thecylinder and having means for controlling the admission of pressure tothe same.

8. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a walkingbeam, and ac-. tuating means for oscillating the same including anengine having a boiler, of a cylinder mounted on the frame of themachine, a piston operating in the cylinder and connected withthewalking beam independently of the actuating means, and a valvecontrolled steam pipe connected with the cylinder and with the boiler.

9. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a walkingbeam, and actuating means for oscillating the same including an enginehaving a boiler, of a cylinder mounted on the frame of the machine,apiston operating in the cylinder and connected with the walking beamindependently of the said actuating means, and a steam pipe connectedwith the cylindera-nd with the boiler and having a three-way valve foradmitting steam to the cylinder and for exhausting the steam from thecylinder.

10. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a walkingbeam, and actuating means for oscillating the same including an enginehaving a boiler, of a cylinder pivotally mounted on the frame of themachine, a piston operating in the cylinder and connected with thewalking beam independently of the said actuating means, and a steam pipeconnected with the boiler and having a flexible section connected withthe cylinder.

11. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a walkingbeam, and actuating means for oscillating the same including an enginehaving a boiler, of :1 cylinder pivotally mounted on the frame of themachine, a pistonoperating in the cylinder and connected with thewalking beam independently of the said actuating means, a steam pipeconnected with the boiler and havin a flexible section connected withthe cylin er, a valve for controlling the admissionof steam to thecylinder, and operating mechanism for the said valve.

12. In a machineof the class described, the combination with a walkingbeam, and actuating means for oscillating the same, of a cylinderpivotally mounted on the frame of the machine and located beneath thewalking beam, a piston having a rod hinged to the walking beamindependently of the said actuating means, an inlet check valveconnected with lower portion of the cylinder, and a fluid pressure pipealso connected with the lower portion of the cylinder and having valvecontrolled means for admitting pressure to and exhausting the same fromthe cylinder.

13. In a machine of the class described,

'the combination with a walking beam, and

actuating means for oscillating the walking beam including a boiler, ofa cylinder pivotally mounted at an intermediate point on the frame ofthe drillingmachine below the walking beam, a piston connected with thecylinder and having a hinge connection with the walking beamindependently of the said actuating means, a steam pipe connected withthe boiler and provided with a threeway valve, a flexible pipe sectionextending from the steam pipe to the lower end of the cylinder,operating mechanism connected with the valve, and an inlet check valvealso connected with the lower end of the cylinder.

14. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a walkingbeam, and actuating means for oscillating the same including a boiler,of a cylinder pivotally mounted on the frame of the machine and arrangedin an upright position on the walking beam, a piston operating in thecylinder and connected with the walking beam independently of theactuating means, and a steam pipe connected with the boiler and with thecylinder at the lower portion thereof.

15. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a frameprovided with a floor having an opening, spaced walking beams pivotallyconnected at their rear ends to the frame and having a transverseconnecting bar located above the opening in the floor, actuating meansincluding opposite cranks arranged at the sides of the frame andconnected with the Walking beams, an upright cylinder pivoted at anintermediate point to the floor of the frame and extending through thesaid opening, a piston operating in the cylinder and having a hingeconnection above the floor with the cross bar, and a steam pipeconnected with the lower portion of the cylinder below the floor forintroducing pressure Within the cylinder to assist the operation of theWalking beam.

In testimony, that We claim the foregoing as our own, We have heretoaflixcd our signatures in the presence of witnesses. 15

ROBERT M. DOWNIE. JAMES L.-DOWNIE.

Witnesses for Robert M. Downie:

J. W. MoAUms, J 0s. 0. RowzER.

Witnesses for James L, Downie:

GEO. W. NEFF, JOSIAH H. PIsEL.

